Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-09-22
From the Grand Army Gazette.l
President Cleveland's Record

The Gazette does not sympathize
with indiscriminate attacks made up
on the President of the United States.
While in that position he represents
before the world the great American
Republic, and his honor and dignity
should be as dear to us as our Own.-
That he has made mistakes Is probable,
for he is human, and that entails a
liability to err. But that he has erred
wilfully and knowingly we do not be-
many things which the facts do not
sustain.
For instance, it has been loudly pro-
claimed that Mr.. Cleveland is hostile to
the old soldiers, and has lost no Oppor-
tunity TO oppose legislation in their be-
half. Let us look at the facts in the
case and see if this sweeping assertion
is founded on truth.
An investigation of the pension
legislation for the past seventeen years
shows that General Grant, from 1870 to
1877 inclusive, a period of eight years,
approved 485 private pension acts;
President Hayes, from 1877 to 1881, in
elusive, period of four years, approved
303 private pension acts; Presidents
Garfield and Arthur, from 1882 to 1885,
inclusive, period of four years, ap-
proved 1856 private pension acts; while
President Cleveland, from 1856 to 1887,
inclusive, period of only two years,
has approved 1858 private pension acts.
This is II more than Grant and
Hayes approved in II years, ,and 127
more than Presidents Garfield and
Arthur approved in four years.
On the other hand the President has
vetoed 1913 private pension bills and
the dependent pension bill. In the
former he undoubtedly acted in con-
formity with his duty as it appeared to
him from the testimony and documents
submitted to him, and his veto of the
dependent pension bill was shown to
be in accord with the preponderating
sentiment, not only of the country at
large, but of the veterans themselves.
But there is other evidence of the
Presidents friendly attitude towards
Union soldiers. He has appointed
more veterans to Office than any other
President. To be sure, some old soldiers
and sailors of an opposite political faith
have been removed from office, but the
fact remains that more veterans are to-
day holding official position under the
Government than at any previous por-
ton of our history. .... .......
The President also approved the bill
increasing the pension of widows,
minors and dependent relatives; the act
increasing in large number of cases
the pensions of MANNED and crippled
soldiers, and the act giving a pension
to the survivors of the war with Mexi-
co, and the widows of deceased soldiers
who took part in that struggle.
In view of these facts, and of the
additional one, that never before, in
spite of the rapidly increasing death
rate, was there so large number Of
pensioners upon the rolls of the Pension
Bureau as now, is it not about time tt
call halt, and ask the blatant dema
gogues who are making these un
founded attacks to take a back seat.
In the end those who make use of such
mendacious methods will surely be the
sufferers, for the American people is toe
intelligent and too fond of fair play tC
be long made the victims of such bare
faced deception.